The author of the book is a professor of the German-Slavic department of the University of Waterloo (Canada), president of the Canadian Association of Slavists, one of the founders (1989) of the Fund for Assistance to Belarusian Children Affected by the Chernobyl Disaster, which is widely established in Canada. The book about Vasil Bykov is her fifth monograph and at the same time the first serious study of the work of the world famous Belarusian writer published in the West. Written in English and intended for Western readers, the book received many positive reviews. Encouraged by the success, the author translated it into Russian, revised it for a reader more familiar with the work of V. Bykov and the realities of his works, and also supplemented the publication with the full text of an extensive interview taken from the writer shortly before his death.